The ebook ecosystem has experienced many changes recently--having both positive and negative effects for the school library. On the positive side, many publishers have stopped seeing ebooks as the coming of the Apocalypse; instead, they are seeing that the publishing business survives and, indeed, flourishes. The different actors in this arena are…

Removal of school library books is again an issue in the courts. In a 1993 Kansas City case involving the superintendent's removal of "Annie on My Mind" from several school libraries, the federal court found that school officials' motivation violated the First Amendment. Administrators must resist the temptation to quell controversy by…

The legal and structural arrangements for public-academic library cooperation are examined. Rhode Island's program illustrates the problems involved as well as the importance of the role of the state library agency in successfully establishing cooperative programs. (Author)

The use of Internet filters in public classrooms in the USA has been intensely debated, both in terms of its effectiveness and legality. The debate pits concerns to protect students from indecent material against issues of unconstitutional censorship. This paper examines the legal issues addressed in various rulings by the US Supreme Court…

In the most effective schools, the potential for positive impact of the school library media center and the library media specialist is recognized, and teachers and media specialists work together routinely to support teaching and learning. This "Informed Educator" examines both the elements of an effective school library media center and the…

This report reviews the seven times that the courts have considered the question of whether school boards can remove books from school libraries. Because the first and the three most recent cases upheld the rights of boards, while the other three cases were won by plaintiffs who had filed their cases against the boards, the differences in the…

Identifies significant issues raised by cases involving censorship efforts in junior and senior high school libraries and examines manner in which they have been resolved by judicial opinion. Discussion covers academic freedom for library professionals, students' right of access to library holdings, and shelf-tenure concept for library materials.…

As the world enters the 21st century, the access to information and freedom of speech provided by the Internet and other digital technologies have revolutionized the nature of censorship challenges and opened an entirely new realm of legal and social ramifications for censorship in United States schools. In the midst of this digital revolution,…

This book focuses on book-banning in public schools and libraries, a practice that prohibits or restricts access to books already published, distributed, and even approved by school or library boards. The major grounds for censorship are sex, profanity, and religion, but they are often intertwined to cover a broad range of "unacceptable"…

The legality of certain teaching practices is being questioned. The controversy arises from the application of the 1909 copyright law to the use of the new copying technology. This information aid considers the current copyright law and the needs and practices of educators. The stickiest part of copyright law is the fair use doctrine, which allows…

Considers the legal meaning of the "right to receive" in light of the many cases where reading material has been censored by being removed from public school libraries. (NKA)

This annual conference, with over 25 speakers and 200 attendees, provided an opportunity for information professionals to discuss their experiences and concerns related to computer networking. The papers presented in this proceedings focus on providing network access, training network users, and incorporating networked information into library…

Focuses on the problem of censorship in the public high schools, examining the legal aspects of censorship in that setting. (NKA)